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American Vampire #10
American Vampire 1976
It’s 1976, and this is the concluding chapter of the Eisner Award-winning American Vampire! The series that launched the careers of superstars Scott Snyder and Rafael Albuquerque returns for the closing chapter of the legacy of American Vampire.
America is broken. Trust between the government and the American public has crumbled. Paranoia reigns supreme.
Skinner Sweet has exhausted all efforts to regain his lost immortality. With his powers and purpose gone, he is now determined to go out with a bang. At a seedy motorcycle rally in the desert where he’s closer than ever to his death wish, Pearl Jones and a shocking partner track him down for one last, desperate mission. The force known as the Gray Trader and its minions are tunneling through the bowels of the world to unleash hell on Earth--just in time for America’s bicentennial. With catastrophe looming, it’s up to Skinner and Pearl to reconcile and change the course of history--or die trying.
American Vampire 1976 collects #1-10
America is broken. Trust between the government and the American public has crumbled. Paranoia reigns supreme.
Skinner Sweet has exhausted all efforts to regain his lost immortality. With his powers and purpose gone, he is now determined to go out with a bang. At a seedy motorcycle rally in the desert where he’s closer than ever to his death wish, Pearl Jones and a shocking partner track him down for one last, desperate mission. The force known as the Gray Trader and its minions are tunneling through the bowels of the world to unleash hell on Earth--just in time for America’s bicentennial. With catastrophe looming, it’s up to Skinner and Pearl to reconcile and change the course of history--or die trying.
American Vampire 1976 collects #1-10
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2021
58 people are currently reading
380 people want to read
About the author
Scott Snyder
1,779 books5,118 followersScott Snyder is the Eisner and Harvey Award winning writer on DC Comics Batman, Swamp Thing, and his original series for Vertigo, American Vampire. He is also the author of the short story collection, Voodoo Heart, published by the Dial Press in 2006. The paperback version was published in the summer of 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
September 6, 2022
It was a good ending to the series.
And it is a series. Don't let the title fool you, this isn't some stand-alone graphic novel and I've listed the other 8 volumes at the bottom for anyone who needs links.
I think most readers will agree that one of the huge downsides was really the long wait times in between some of the volumes. But now that the entire run is (finally) out, I think new readers will enjoy getting hooked on American Vampire.
Like the last volume, a lot of characters from the past show up to get a few hits in on the Grey Trader. Although, I did think the thing with Jim was a tad iffy.
It's hard to talk about this one without giving spoilers, so I'll just say that I mostly enjoyed the ride and the way this wrapped up.
Recommended.
American Vampire, Vol. 1
American Vampire, Vol. 2
American Vampire, Vol. 3
American Vampire, Vol. 4
American Vampire, Vol. 5
American Vampire, Vol. 6
American Vampire, Vol. 7
American Vampire, Vol. 8
And it is a series. Don't let the title fool you, this isn't some stand-alone graphic novel and I've listed the other 8 volumes at the bottom for anyone who needs links.
I think most readers will agree that one of the huge downsides was really the long wait times in between some of the volumes. But now that the entire run is (finally) out, I think new readers will enjoy getting hooked on American Vampire.
Like the last volume, a lot of characters from the past show up to get a few hits in on the Grey Trader. Although, I did think the thing with Jim was a tad iffy.
It's hard to talk about this one without giving spoilers, so I'll just say that I mostly enjoyed the ride and the way this wrapped up.
Recommended.
American Vampire, Vol. 1
American Vampire, Vol. 2
American Vampire, Vol. 3
American Vampire, Vol. 4
American Vampire, Vol. 5
American Vampire, Vol. 6
American Vampire, Vol. 7
American Vampire, Vol. 8
August 3, 2022
A fitting end to the very long running but sporadic series. The Beast is rising and the Tongue are winning. Time for a last ditch attempt to save the world. Pretty much everyone from previous volumes returns. Re-reading the series would probably help you remember who everyone was, but I did well enough without it. It may have taken a few pages but it soon came to me who such and such was. Rafael Albuquerque's art is visceral and exacting. It's perfect for this series.
October 29, 2021
The finale of American Vampire, many years in the making, finally makes an appearance as Pearl, Skinner, and all your favourite characters return for one final hurrah to protect the world from the Beast.
If I'd re-read the series before this came out, I'd probably have been able to give it a full five stars. As it was, it took me three or four issues to remember who everyone was, and what their relationships were with each other since it's been so long since Second Cycle ended.
Once I got back on board though, the ending's satisfying enough. The good guys and the bad guys come together for one last fight, and while there are a few new concepts introduced, they're done so fairly early on so they're not deus ex machina type deals. The ultimate ending keeps everything tight on Pearl and Skinner since it's been their story even if the cast has grown well beyond them.
Rafael Albuquerque's artwork is still as phenomenal as ever. His style's really dynamic and visceral, which is exactly what a story about vampires, especially one that's coming to its massive conclusion, needs.
AmVamp was one of the first Vertigo series I started reading, so to see it finally come to an end is both cathartic and bittersweet. A little refresher page near the beginning wouldn't have gone amiss though - it's been long enough that a Previously would definitely have helped. Maybe the trade will rectify that.
If I'd re-read the series before this came out, I'd probably have been able to give it a full five stars. As it was, it took me three or four issues to remember who everyone was, and what their relationships were with each other since it's been so long since Second Cycle ended.
Once I got back on board though, the ending's satisfying enough. The good guys and the bad guys come together for one last fight, and while there are a few new concepts introduced, they're done so fairly early on so they're not deus ex machina type deals. The ultimate ending keeps everything tight on Pearl and Skinner since it's been their story even if the cast has grown well beyond them.
Rafael Albuquerque's artwork is still as phenomenal as ever. His style's really dynamic and visceral, which is exactly what a story about vampires, especially one that's coming to its massive conclusion, needs.
AmVamp was one of the first Vertigo series I started reading, so to see it finally come to an end is both cathartic and bittersweet. A little refresher page near the beginning wouldn't have gone amiss though - it's been long enough that a Previously would definitely have helped. Maybe the trade will rectify that.
July 28, 2022
How could the American Vampire series end in any other way than a big goofy kaiju battle? Clearly, that's what the gritty, violent first volume was suggesting. "Stick around and things'll get real weird."
Weird they get. Basically everyone who has ever graced the pages of American Vampire returns in this epic finale. The Beast is about to be set loose by the Gray Trader and Skinner, Pearl, Cal, and a few others are all that stands in the way. Can they stop the villains? Sure, but after several scenes of convoluted infodumps, followed by an unexpected betrayal. It's the American Vampire formula! You can definitely see how this series was a practice run for Scott Snyder's Undiscovered Country.
1976 has a lot in common with the eighth volume in that it's crazy fun while you're reading it and nonsense if you try to recap it afterwards. Suitable way to the end the series, which wasn't exactly the best vampire story ever told, but it sure tried hard to be.
Weird they get. Basically everyone who has ever graced the pages of American Vampire returns in this epic finale. The Beast is about to be set loose by the Gray Trader and Skinner, Pearl, Cal, and a few others are all that stands in the way. Can they stop the villains? Sure, but after several scenes of convoluted infodumps, followed by an unexpected betrayal. It's the American Vampire formula! You can definitely see how this series was a practice run for Scott Snyder's Undiscovered Country.
1976 has a lot in common with the eighth volume in that it's crazy fun while you're reading it and nonsense if you try to recap it afterwards. Suitable way to the end the series, which wasn't exactly the best vampire story ever told, but it sure tried hard to be.
August 9, 2021
A tighter release schedule would have helped the book rate higher - -being so long since the last installment makes all the relationships and characters fuzzy, and a storyline that is so large and broad that it constantly requires call-backs and references to prior volumes means that only the newest fans reading everything back to back or obsessive fans who reread the older material when this was finally released can possibly get a complete experience, casual fans are left behind.
May 23, 2022
I think I would have liked this better if it wasn't for the long delay between volumes. Also, if it wasn't for the story requiring knowledge of previous series (Survival of the Fittest, for example) which, to my knowledge, have still not been released as collected volumes. I was wondering who the little rock person (gargoyle?) sitting on the woman's shoulder was. Also, the "Bite Them Back" boys. And, frankly, the connections between our main characters--Pearl, Skinner, and Jim Book--weren't as clear as they could have been (of course, if you'd just read volume 8 in the series before this, it wouldn't have been an issue). The art is all right, though nothing too spectacular. The final showdown gets to be a bit over-the-top, though I guess it was heading that way from the start. But it did get a little ridiculous, I thought.
August 28, 2021
There's something to be said for ending well.
While 'American Vampire 1976' gets a bit bogged down in some heavy exposition in the front half, it all builds to a brilliant conclusion: an all-out vampire war on the eve of the nation's bicentennial celebration, in that most uniquely American of places, Las Vegas. The last few issues reminded me strongly of what I loved about the original run, and what's kept me coming back to the series through its many iterations. Scott Snyder's writing and Rafael Albuquerque's art are as sharp as ever, and paired well for this climactic battle of the bloodsuckers.
If this is to be the end of American Vampire, then it's a fitting end.
While 'American Vampire 1976' gets a bit bogged down in some heavy exposition in the front half, it all builds to a brilliant conclusion: an all-out vampire war on the eve of the nation's bicentennial celebration, in that most uniquely American of places, Las Vegas. The last few issues reminded me strongly of what I loved about the original run, and what's kept me coming back to the series through its many iterations. Scott Snyder's writing and Rafael Albuquerque's art are as sharp as ever, and paired well for this climactic battle of the bloodsuckers.
If this is to be the end of American Vampire, then it's a fitting end.
August 10, 2021
You know who would have thought choosing to finish off a horror story when flat on one's back sick (not Covid-something else) would be both enjoyable and uplifting. I'll admit Snyder's recent work for hire titles left me wondering what had made me like him so much.
Then we come back to the title I first encountered his writing on. Except for someday, maybe breaking down and reading the two classics of vampire fiction (Not Twilight despite how much my partner likes it) I'm burned out on the vampire genre. I found Snyder's take to be new, and the characters, Skinner, Pearl, Book, etc. engaging.
But, this series, and the one before, things looked very bleak for the human race. I feel saying more would be leaning too much towards spoilers, and I did enjoy the end of this series.
There was a time when DC's Vertigo imprint was hailed by many, not just myself, including Stephen King as the place to find horror. This series easily stands with The Swamp Thing and Hellblazer titles of that time (I never was a Sandman person-the characters whined too much for my taste).
Note: full disclosure read as digital floppies.
Then we come back to the title I first encountered his writing on. Except for someday, maybe breaking down and reading the two classics of vampire fiction (Not Twilight despite how much my partner likes it) I'm burned out on the vampire genre. I found Snyder's take to be new, and the characters, Skinner, Pearl, Book, etc. engaging.
But, this series, and the one before, things looked very bleak for the human race. I feel saying more would be leaning too much towards spoilers, and I did enjoy the end of this series.
There was a time when DC's Vertigo imprint was hailed by many, not just myself, including Stephen King as the place to find horror. This series easily stands with The Swamp Thing and Hellblazer titles of that time (I never was a Sandman person-the characters whined too much for my taste).
Note: full disclosure read as digital floppies.
April 18, 2022
(3,9 of 5 for this unnecessary but good AmVamp addition)
Snyder can deliver a good story. And AMVAMP 1976 is one. Stretched to 12-issues and short of two. Thus the ending bit feels a bit rushed. But Albuquerque again delivers good art, so the final product is one fine reading. For the fans (even the ones who are a bit disgruntled after the last parts of AMVAMP) this is good reading to consider.
Snyder can deliver a good story. And AMVAMP 1976 is one. Stretched to 12-issues and short of two. Thus the ending bit feels a bit rushed. But Albuquerque again delivers good art, so the final product is one fine reading. For the fans (even the ones who are a bit disgruntled after the last parts of AMVAMP) this is good reading to consider.
January 1, 2022
A great ending to one of my favorite graphic novel series. I will admit that it was longer than normal and some of the details of the full story and series was lost to me. I simply forgot a few details of this particular story and several of the storylines of the other characters. Skinner Sweet will always be one of my favorite antiheroes.
June 5, 2022
داستان جلد نهم یا پایانی خون آشام آمریکایی همونطور که از اسمش پیداست در دهه هفتاد اتفاق میفته. درست یک دهه بعد از حوادث جلد قبلی طبق رسم همیشگی این سری و تمام شخصیت های داستان که پیش از این یکجا جمع نشدن دور هم جمع میشن تا با ویلن های اصلی داستان روبرو بشن. خیلی از موارد بالاخره توضیح داده شد و تصویر کلی که اسکات اسنایدر سعی داشت با داستانش ترسیم کنه بالاخره مشخص شد. اما متاسفانه با شلوغ کاری و پیچیده کردن داستان نتونست اونطور که باید در این دو ولیوم آخر به شخصیت ها بپردازه. همه چیز خیلی قابل پیش بینی پیش رفت و این پرش های زمانی بین هر جلد هم حکم شمشیر دولبه رو برای این کمیک داشت. طراحی ها اما در بهترین حالت خودشون نسبت به جلدهای قبلی بودن و از این نظر اشکالی نداَشت. در مجموع نوسانات زیادی داره و دنیای داستان پتانسیل بیشتری دا��ت اما لور جالبی رو شاهد بودم که در نوع خودش خاص و منحصر بفرد بود
May 26, 2023
Decent ending per se but lacking very much in execution.
Snyder uses shortcuts like he got himself a wholesale bargain of them, ellipses are so huuuuge they’re called holes, suspension of disbelief went into a coma- the plane crash scene gives "bullshit" a whole new meaning-and there’s so much crappy/weepy captions I thought the plot had muted into a fuckin’ soap opera.
And there’s a useless "interlude" episode to boot.
A nice twist and very good art from Albuquerque but I can’t bring myself to rate it better than 2.5*. And I don’t feel like bumping it up.
Snyder uses shortcuts like he got himself a wholesale bargain of them, ellipses are so huuuuge they’re called holes, suspension of disbelief went into a coma- the plane crash scene gives "bullshit" a whole new meaning-and there’s so much crappy/weepy captions I thought the plot had muted into a fuckin’ soap opera.
And there’s a useless "interlude" episode to boot.
A nice twist and very good art from Albuquerque but I can’t bring myself to rate it better than 2.5*. And I don’t feel like bumping it up.
Read
January 30, 2022The much-delayed conclusion, and was the story's 'Second Cycle' really only meant to run three volumes, even if this one was 12 issues long? It was never my favourite comic in the world, and after six years since I read the previous collection, there's plenty I'd forgotten - you know, little things like the protagonist not even being a vampire anymore. I'll admit that now-mortal Skinner Sweet trading as an Evel Knievel-style daredevil is a nice touch, and in general the parallels drawn between the bicentennial and now as times when America was divided and lacking in faith feel fruitful, if sometimes heavy-handed. The excavation of the gap between the USA's ideal and its reality, too, and the repurposing of its history, even if Snyder is now doing similar material better in Undiscovered Country. But the more the story fixates on the deep lore of its monster mythos, the more it confirms something else from the years since the last volume: Snyder only has the one set-up for horror stories. And this particular version rests far too much apocalyptic weight on the unlikely shoulders of Gerald Ford.
December 13, 2024
Having only read the first volume ages ago, I thought this was a self-contained story set in 1976 rather than the conclusion to the series. So most of the time I hadn't a clue who was who or what was going on. But it still worked as a story and what a totally bonkers story it is! I'll probably have to check out more volumes of this. Great fun!
Upon re-reading: There's a lot of Lore here and a lot of threads to be tied up in the series conclusion, but on the whole, it works well enough. The Big Battle between 'Good' and Evil (or varying degrees of Evil?) is a little over the top but a climactic ending was necessary, I guess. And as the dust settles, I feel a strange sense of loss at no longer having these fictitious characters in my life. So, good writing, then!
Upon re-reading: There's a lot of Lore here and a lot of threads to be tied up in the series conclusion, but on the whole, it works well enough. The Big Battle between 'Good' and Evil (or varying degrees of Evil?) is a little over the top but a climactic ending was necessary, I guess. And as the dust settles, I feel a strange sense of loss at no longer having these fictitious characters in my life. So, good writing, then!
April 8, 2022
Great redemption arc for Skinner Sweet. Some interesting variations of vampires.
April 30, 2024
I accidentally read all of American Vampire in one sitting haha whoops
March 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 stars rounded up for goodreads. Why? The very last issue. It truly went out in a blaze of punk rock glory; had a decent “laugh out loud” moment with a giant side of eye rolls. Over the top and bit ridiculous but amusing none the less.
If you made it this far - just read the whole series!
I loved how American Vampire began but what it has become? Mehhh. Not bad. Not great. Truth be told, I couldn’t see this going any other way but wish it could have had …. A little more dignity than the crazy, random, annoying (lazy ridiculous?) and “I can’t believe you just did that …… *inner spoiler rant you can’t hear till you read this book*.
Recommend: take your time. Hear the voices in your mind and just know that it’s truly about the darkness and the light we all have at every decision/cross roads we make. The selfish and the self righteous and know that in the end? It’s just a fucking good ride 🤣
“Now, Off we go”
If you made it this far - just read the whole series!
I loved how American Vampire began but what it has become? Mehhh. Not bad. Not great. Truth be told, I couldn’t see this going any other way but wish it could have had …. A little more dignity than the crazy, random, annoying (lazy ridiculous?) and “I can’t believe you just did that …… *inner spoiler rant you can’t hear till you read this book*.
Recommend: take your time. Hear the voices in your mind and just know that it’s truly about the darkness and the light we all have at every decision/cross roads we make. The selfish and the self righteous and know that in the end? It’s just a fucking good ride 🤣
“Now, Off we go”
May 16, 2025
5 stars because I can't bring myself to give the final chapter in this series anything less.
American Vampire has some of my favourite vampire lore EVER and the original run will forever be a comfort read. There's probably some psychoanalysis to dig into there but I'm choosing to ignore that for the time being. By the end Scott Synder definitely started to get a little lost in the sauce with introducing new characters and his worldbuiling ideas but I actually love that so many threads were left open for potential future installments.
American Vampire has some of my favourite vampire lore EVER and the original run will forever be a comfort read. There's probably some psychoanalysis to dig into there but I'm choosing to ignore that for the time being. By the end Scott Synder definitely started to get a little lost in the sauce with introducing new characters and his worldbuiling ideas but I actually love that so many threads were left open for potential future installments.
July 13, 2025
I've had a great time reading this series, and have loved the many directions it has branched out in. This volume was probably my favourite though, if only because I thought it all came together brilliantly. It's not just Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones, (though I love them) but the team around them, from Cal to Gus to Travis and everyone else. They all get roped in here, and the final battle is sort of ludicrous, but in a good way!
I really liked the ending - admittedly there is a small part of me that would have liked for Sweet to survive somehow, a new kind of Super American Vampire or something, but really I don't think that would have worked.
I'm guessing they'll be leaving the series here - but there are threads they could pick up if they wanted to. Either way, it was an ending I liked. Though, is Travis still a vampire, or was that temporary? 🦇
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2021
I’m eagerly awaiting the inevitable Netflix or HBOMax series based on Scott Snyder’s fantastically wonderful and exciting graphic novel series American Vampire. If done right, it has the potential to be one of the funniest, goriest, sexiest, and most relevant TV series about vampires ever. Forget “True Blood” or “The Strain”. American Vampire is THE best vampire graphic novel series I have read.
DC Black Label recently published Snyder’s latest iteration of the series, “American Vampire 1976”, and it is awesome. It brings to an end (sadly) a storyline that follows American vampires Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones through a century of the unknown history of vampires in this country. But don’t be fooled: this isn’t the last we’ll see of American Vampire, I’m sure. After all, there’s still two more decades of the 20th century that Snyder has yet to tackle…
DC Black Label recently published Snyder’s latest iteration of the series, “American Vampire 1976”, and it is awesome. It brings to an end (sadly) a storyline that follows American vampires Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones through a century of the unknown history of vampires in this country. But don’t be fooled: this isn’t the last we’ll see of American Vampire, I’m sure. After all, there’s still two more decades of the 20th century that Snyder has yet to tackle…
June 6, 2023
This was a satisfying ending to the series. We get a big epic showdown full of twists and turns. All the characters come back, and get a last climactic moment. I have a few gripes though. First, a couple of the character returns were not foreshadowed in any way I noticed. Second they draw a lot of punk history for this volume that doesn't line up with the timeline. I'm sure other people don't care, but there are several bands that get referenced that didn't exist at the time they're mentioned, and the fashion doesn't look like the punk fashion of '76 at all. I feel like if you're going to pay homage to this subculture the least you could do is look up what years things happened. Third, it feels like the themes overtook the plot. This whole "Skinner is the worst of us, but what if he's the best of us" thing is kind of outrageous.
May 28, 2022
It’s over, it’s finally over!
A vampire mythology that was once entertaining turned biblical…
Skinner, the book’s antagonist to Pearl’s protagonist goes from iredeemable traitor to savior..
Pearl is relegated to side character status…
The art is ugly, it’s rushed. Anyone unfamiliar with AV could look at 1976 and a previous book in the series and swear different artists drew it. I swear it’s so distracting looking at it when Pearl doesn’t look like Pearl anymore, I’m genuine curious to know how that happened. I’m guessing he had too much on his plate and found ways to draw the book quicker.
This collection is more bloated than a beached whale, so much could’ve been trimmed if we were gonna have it end that way anyway…
Never again will I read AV
A vampire mythology that was once entertaining turned biblical…
Skinner, the book’s antagonist to Pearl’s protagonist goes from iredeemable traitor to savior..
Pearl is relegated to side character status…
The art is ugly, it’s rushed. Anyone unfamiliar with AV could look at 1976 and a previous book in the series and swear different artists drew it. I swear it’s so distracting looking at it when Pearl doesn’t look like Pearl anymore, I’m genuine curious to know how that happened. I’m guessing he had too much on his plate and found ways to draw the book quicker.
This collection is more bloated than a beached whale, so much could’ve been trimmed if we were gonna have it end that way anyway…
Never again will I read AV
September 14, 2023
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
Well folks, we have come to the end of another comic re-reading/comic completion hybrid, as “American Vampire: 1976” is the end of the road for the “American Vampire” series by Scott Snyder. There was a pretty substantial gap between “Volume 8” and “1976”, just as there was a gap in the real comics release of the series. I don’t know what caused the wait, but I remember part of my reason for kind of giving up on the series the first time around was due to the fact I knew it didn’t have an ending. Well, now it does, and to me it seemed like there were a few things that needed to be addressed in order to stick it. And…. I think that it mostly did, with a couple stumbles…
We have jumped forward to 1976, and our characters have scattered to the wind since we left them. Skinner Sweet, having been rendered mortal after his last tangle with the Gray Trader a decade prior, has accepted that he can’t regain his immortality and has decided to become a stuntman in hopes of going out in a blaze of glory. So when he’s approached by Pearl with one more mission, we find out what all our vampires have been up to leading up to the American Bicentennial. Pearl is barely holding things together with the VMS, Felicia is on a mission to save Gus from the Gray Trader who has taken him hostage, Travis Kidd blames himself for the loss of Gus, and we find out that Jim Book has returned to the fold and has been Pearl’s partner for a number of years. Oh, and Mimiteh has come back as well (and HOORAY, she isn’t just a stereotype AND he has clothing this time around). I loved that this took place in 1976, in a year that American was celebrating its history in the face of a lot of bleakness (the loss of the Vietnam war, post-Watergate disillusionment, etc), and as the VMS has to try and stop an apocalypse that is going to happen during the Bicentennial celebration. It’s a great tone, and a great way for the story to wrap up as America has it’s own, in a way, reflection moment. And the big last showdown with the Gray Trader and it’s final push to destroy the world was well thought out and had high stakes and lots of suspense.
There are a lot of characters that we need to tackle, and, for the most part, many of them get some good page time and a fair amount of focus. I loved seeing Pearl rally the troops, I enjoyed seeing Skinner being pulled in again as he’s trying to, maybe finally, be able to get his immortality back, and I liked seeing Travis Kidd have more growth and depth as he grapples with how he failed Felicia and Gus. But that does lead to one of the pitfalls here, as one of the characters who is a bit shafted is Felicia, as it felt like she was just a frenzied grieving mother as she worries about Gus’s well being. Sure, she gets some pretty okay moments, but she didn’t feel like Felicia, and since we were at the end of the road I really wanted more in saying goodbye. It ended up feeling abrupt and lacking for my favorite character in the series.
There was one other big stumble for me in this final collection as we wrap up this story, and I need to go into detail to explain the problem I had with it. SO, therefore I am going to have to tell you to skip to the last paragraph if you don’t want to know and give you a SPOILER ALERT.So a few volumes back, it was revealed that Jim Book, the original hero who was the lawman pursuing Skinner Sweet back in the day after being his foster brother in childhood, was actually still ‘alive’ and was also a vampire from the American strain. It took this long for him to come back, and I was actually pretty amped to see him because I was excited to see him confronting Skinner, but more I was anticipating seeing him meet his daughter Felicia. And for awhile I was riding high on his presence, because it added a new interesting layer to Skinner, as his foil, who was not only an enemy but also his dearest friend and in some ways brother, was back in his life after so much baggage… But. BUT. Not only did we not get any pay off with Jim meeting his daughter Felicia (HONESTLY, HOW DARE THEY SIDELINE HER SO MUCH?)… Jim ends up betraying the VMS and has been evil and siding with the Gray Trader the whole time!!!!! WHAT THE FUCK?! What a frustrating and unearned heel turn for this character! And it felt like it was done 1) because it’s shocking and a HUGE blow and twist for the VMS, and 2) it just props up Skinner more as a hero because if Jim freaking BOOK is bad, then Skinner is going to look good by comparison, and you know what? I don't like it.Am I being perhaps a little to precious about Jim Book as a character? Yeah, maybe. But it was also pretty damned rushed after a long delay to bring him back into the fold. There was a missed opportunity there because it would have been far more interesting for Skinner’s final push for potential redemption to be about his foster brother as opposed to his love for Pearl (especially since it made Pearl’s final story a bit too intwined with Skinner when she can stand on her own, thankyouverymuch).
Okay I complained a lot but for the most part I did enjoy “American Vampire: 1976”, I swear! The series had a lot to address and wrap up, and I thought that Snyder did justice to most of his characters and plot lines. And what a great moment in time for the story to end. I will miss Pearl, Felicia, Gus, and, God help me, even Skinner freakin’ Sweet. “American Vampire” is a great series, and I’m glad I finished it.
Well folks, we have come to the end of another comic re-reading/comic completion hybrid, as “American Vampire: 1976” is the end of the road for the “American Vampire” series by Scott Snyder. There was a pretty substantial gap between “Volume 8” and “1976”, just as there was a gap in the real comics release of the series. I don’t know what caused the wait, but I remember part of my reason for kind of giving up on the series the first time around was due to the fact I knew it didn’t have an ending. Well, now it does, and to me it seemed like there were a few things that needed to be addressed in order to stick it. And…. I think that it mostly did, with a couple stumbles…
We have jumped forward to 1976, and our characters have scattered to the wind since we left them. Skinner Sweet, having been rendered mortal after his last tangle with the Gray Trader a decade prior, has accepted that he can’t regain his immortality and has decided to become a stuntman in hopes of going out in a blaze of glory. So when he’s approached by Pearl with one more mission, we find out what all our vampires have been up to leading up to the American Bicentennial. Pearl is barely holding things together with the VMS, Felicia is on a mission to save Gus from the Gray Trader who has taken him hostage, Travis Kidd blames himself for the loss of Gus, and we find out that Jim Book has returned to the fold and has been Pearl’s partner for a number of years. Oh, and Mimiteh has come back as well (and HOORAY, she isn’t just a stereotype AND he has clothing this time around). I loved that this took place in 1976, in a year that American was celebrating its history in the face of a lot of bleakness (the loss of the Vietnam war, post-Watergate disillusionment, etc), and as the VMS has to try and stop an apocalypse that is going to happen during the Bicentennial celebration. It’s a great tone, and a great way for the story to wrap up as America has it’s own, in a way, reflection moment. And the big last showdown with the Gray Trader and it’s final push to destroy the world was well thought out and had high stakes and lots of suspense.
There are a lot of characters that we need to tackle, and, for the most part, many of them get some good page time and a fair amount of focus. I loved seeing Pearl rally the troops, I enjoyed seeing Skinner being pulled in again as he’s trying to, maybe finally, be able to get his immortality back, and I liked seeing Travis Kidd have more growth and depth as he grapples with how he failed Felicia and Gus. But that does lead to one of the pitfalls here, as one of the characters who is a bit shafted is Felicia, as it felt like she was just a frenzied grieving mother as she worries about Gus’s well being. Sure, she gets some pretty okay moments, but she didn’t feel like Felicia, and since we were at the end of the road I really wanted more in saying goodbye. It ended up feeling abrupt and lacking for my favorite character in the series.
There was one other big stumble for me in this final collection as we wrap up this story, and I need to go into detail to explain the problem I had with it. SO, therefore I am going to have to tell you to skip to the last paragraph if you don’t want to know and give you a SPOILER ALERT.So a few volumes back, it was revealed that Jim Book, the original hero who was the lawman pursuing Skinner Sweet back in the day after being his foster brother in childhood, was actually still ‘alive’ and was also a vampire from the American strain. It took this long for him to come back, and I was actually pretty amped to see him because I was excited to see him confronting Skinner, but more I was anticipating seeing him meet his daughter Felicia. And for awhile I was riding high on his presence, because it added a new interesting layer to Skinner, as his foil, who was not only an enemy but also his dearest friend and in some ways brother, was back in his life after so much baggage… But. BUT. Not only did we not get any pay off with Jim meeting his daughter Felicia (HONESTLY, HOW DARE THEY SIDELINE HER SO MUCH?)… Jim ends up betraying the VMS and has been evil and siding with the Gray Trader the whole time!!!!! WHAT THE FUCK?! What a frustrating and unearned heel turn for this character! And it felt like it was done 1) because it’s shocking and a HUGE blow and twist for the VMS, and 2) it just props up Skinner more as a hero because if Jim freaking BOOK is bad, then Skinner is going to look good by comparison, and you know what? I don't like it.Am I being perhaps a little to precious about Jim Book as a character? Yeah, maybe. But it was also pretty damned rushed after a long delay to bring him back into the fold. There was a missed opportunity there because it would have been far more interesting for Skinner’s final push for potential redemption to be about his foster brother as opposed to his love for Pearl (especially since it made Pearl’s final story a bit too intwined with Skinner when she can stand on her own, thankyouverymuch).
Okay I complained a lot but for the most part I did enjoy “American Vampire: 1976”, I swear! The series had a lot to address and wrap up, and I thought that Snyder did justice to most of his characters and plot lines. And what a great moment in time for the story to end. I will miss Pearl, Felicia, Gus, and, God help me, even Skinner freakin’ Sweet. “American Vampire” is a great series, and I’m glad I finished it.
April 9, 2022
It's great that Snyder finally got back to finish American Vampire, and this is another nice semi-historical, touched with more fun vampire lore, going to deep secrets. It also really develops the relationship between Pearl and Sweet.
But, it's bloated, with six issues worth of story in a twelve-issue extravaganza. The big bad is also ultimately disappointing, in that it's just a giant monster.
So, a fair ending to a good-ish series. But at least an ending.
But, it's bloated, with six issues worth of story in a twelve-issue extravaganza. The big bad is also ultimately disappointing, in that it's just a giant monster.
So, a fair ending to a good-ish series. But at least an ending.
December 21, 2021
I really enjoy the American Vampire series and wanted to love this, but I just didn't. Great artwork and ok read. But I didn't love the story. A bit let down. Worth a read if your a fan of the the series
January 13, 2022
This volume was an appropriate end to the series. Loose ends were tied up. Characterizations were deepened. The story felt resolved to me at the end. It was action packed and fun. If there ever is another volume in this series, I would definitely read it.
March 9, 2022
Guess what? I don't care anymore. It was six years between this and the previous volume. Snyder didn't care, I don't care. What a waste.
July 14, 2022
Ah, Skinner. I adore that motherfucker like you wouldn't believe. Dude had me laughing my ass off all throughout this. Even as he's dying he's making me laugh.
"Can you hear me, Skinner?"
"Almost... you’re fading, but maybe..."
"Maybe what?"
"Maybe... if you were naked too, I could hear you better?"
I'm gonna miss you, you wonderful bastard.
I held off reading this for as long as I could. I wasn't ready for this series to end and I was convinced that the ending would suck and that there was no way to wrap up this series in a satisfying manner. Well I've never been happier to say that I was wrong. It wasn't a perfect ending, I personally wish that this was longer so some stuff could have had some time to breathe and better development but it's an ending I can be happy with. Most importantly, Skinner wasn't done dirty and I was concerned about that.
Pearl didn't really have any development other than she just "wants to be part of something bigger." Normally this would upset me but it's clear that this volume was dedicated as a sendoff for Skinner. If this series were to return, Pearl would be at the forefront so I'm okay with her not being the focus this time.
Seeing Jim and Pearl's relationship develop as partners would've been nice and it would've made his betrayal more impactful, in my opinion.
As would seeing Gus and Travis reunite at the end, like an actual scene dedicated to it, again, would've been nice.
Felicia and Jim didn't even have a conversation, like what even the fuck is that? Her dead father is resurrected and they don't even talk to each other. I can guarantee you if my dad was brought back to life I'd want to have a conversation with that motherfucker, pronto.
Were Cal and Mimiteh interested in each other? I got some vibes there, hopefully they both get some sort of happy ending.
Felicia's ending couldn't have been more perfect. She wasn't leaving anything to chance, she was willing to go scorched earth to ensure they won and I love her for that.
I wish we could've had more brotherly banter between Skinner and Jim. The little we got was great.
(After Skinner and Pearl have an argument.)
Jim: "You should be kinder to her."
Skinner: "Will you shut the fuck up, Jim? I've taken pisses longer than you've known [her]."
I can't think of anything more tragic than Jim being a bad guy, it's just wrong. Like Skinner says:
"Whatever the fuck you are, you don't deserve to walk in Jim Book's boots."
It was an interesting role reversal with Jim being the villain and Skinner being the hero. I feel like Jim was made the big bad just to have one last brother vs brother duel, to make it all come full circle.
Mimiteh and Gus trying to escape the beast could have been interesting but the beast just lets them escape so we just get to skip that shit I guess.
When did Felicia get a groot-bat? Where the fuck did that thing come from? I don't remember seeing it before but I didn't refresh myself on the previous volumes before reading this so I might have just forgotten about it.
What happened to Skinner's albino gator? I'm just going to assume they let it go.
I like that we never see the Trader's real face, if he even has one. I'm curious if he's ever looked human or if he's always had that graboid thing going on.
Was that kid on the council supposed to look like Eddie Munster? It was disturbing to see him impaled on a spike. I know he's not really a kid but still. On that note, did the council survive? I was so busy crying over Skinner that I might have missed some details.
I just want you to know Scott, (you will literally never see this but whatevs) that if you revive this series and somehow find a way to bring Skinner back from the dead, even in the most contrived, shitty way possible, I'll be all over that like flies on shit. I really loved Skinner, he's probably in my top 5 all time favorite characters. Thank you, Scott.
"Can you hear me, Skinner?"
"Almost... you’re fading, but maybe..."
"Maybe what?"
"Maybe... if you were naked too, I could hear you better?"
I'm gonna miss you, you wonderful bastard.
I held off reading this for as long as I could. I wasn't ready for this series to end and I was convinced that the ending would suck and that there was no way to wrap up this series in a satisfying manner. Well I've never been happier to say that I was wrong. It wasn't a perfect ending, I personally wish that this was longer so some stuff could have had some time to breathe and better development but it's an ending I can be happy with. Most importantly, Skinner wasn't done dirty and I was concerned about that.
Pearl didn't really have any development other than she just "wants to be part of something bigger." Normally this would upset me but it's clear that this volume was dedicated as a sendoff for Skinner. If this series were to return, Pearl would be at the forefront so I'm okay with her not being the focus this time.
Seeing Jim and Pearl's relationship develop as partners would've been nice and it would've made his betrayal more impactful, in my opinion.
As would seeing Gus and Travis reunite at the end, like an actual scene dedicated to it, again, would've been nice.
Felicia and Jim didn't even have a conversation, like what even the fuck is that? Her dead father is resurrected and they don't even talk to each other. I can guarantee you if my dad was brought back to life I'd want to have a conversation with that motherfucker, pronto.
Were Cal and Mimiteh interested in each other? I got some vibes there, hopefully they both get some sort of happy ending.
Felicia's ending couldn't have been more perfect. She wasn't leaving anything to chance, she was willing to go scorched earth to ensure they won and I love her for that.
I wish we could've had more brotherly banter between Skinner and Jim. The little we got was great.
(After Skinner and Pearl have an argument.)
Jim: "You should be kinder to her."
Skinner: "Will you shut the fuck up, Jim? I've taken pisses longer than you've known [her]."
I can't think of anything more tragic than Jim being a bad guy, it's just wrong. Like Skinner says:
"Whatever the fuck you are, you don't deserve to walk in Jim Book's boots."
It was an interesting role reversal with Jim being the villain and Skinner being the hero. I feel like Jim was made the big bad just to have one last brother vs brother duel, to make it all come full circle.
Mimiteh and Gus trying to escape the beast could have been interesting but the beast just lets them escape so we just get to skip that shit I guess.
When did Felicia get a groot-bat? Where the fuck did that thing come from? I don't remember seeing it before but I didn't refresh myself on the previous volumes before reading this so I might have just forgotten about it.
What happened to Skinner's albino gator? I'm just going to assume they let it go.
I like that we never see the Trader's real face, if he even has one. I'm curious if he's ever looked human or if he's always had that graboid thing going on.
Was that kid on the council supposed to look like Eddie Munster? It was disturbing to see him impaled on a spike. I know he's not really a kid but still. On that note, did the council survive? I was so busy crying over Skinner that I might have missed some details.
I just want you to know Scott, (you will literally never see this but whatevs) that if you revive this series and somehow find a way to bring Skinner back from the dead, even in the most contrived, shitty way possible, I'll be all over that like flies on shit. I really loved Skinner, he's probably in my top 5 all time favorite characters. Thank you, Scott.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2022
*A SPOILER FREE REVIEW THAT IGNORES THE HIATUS*
Hells bells!
I came into this series solely as a fan of King, but stayed and became a fan of Snyder. I am not a fan of westerns, so on paper - I would not have otherwise picked this series up.
I was worried when this series went onto hiatus. Not 100% certain, but I believe it was due to Snyder's DC run occupying all of his time. The worry was two fold: a) the series was cancelled and would never be completed b) if it was completed, it would be done in a very after-the-fact matter (think Winds of Winter). It would be inellegantly rushed, and completed for the sake of being completed.
But this was one of Snyder's 1st storties, and I was happy to see him give it the gravitas that a conclusion deserves.
"It was fundamentally about Pearl and Skinner - a look at American History through the lese of these two different vantage points: one character who is the best of us and one character who's the worst of us. One who wants to be part of something bigger than herself and espouses all of these great American principals and ideals, even if she does not realize it, and one who represents all of our darkest impulses o be big and selfish and greedy - to have your name in lights and make everything about you and create a reality around yourself." (Scott Snyder on the original pitch)
There is also a great deal of history in the series and its finale, both:
a) in how the story is overlain against american events, politics, and its ever changing zeitgeist
b) in how the pasts of our characters is still being peeled back - even in the final issue, to properly render out judgements on them
Snyder is definetly closing up shop in v1976. There is so much circling back to the elements of the earlier stories (expect a lot of "*SEE AMERICAN VAMPIRE - VOLUME XYZ"-editor blocks) There are no wasted plotlines here in this bombastic finale, Snyder is using it all to get us all back on the path he started back in 2010 (or 1880).
Hells bells indeed!
Hells bells!
I came into this series solely as a fan of King, but stayed and became a fan of Snyder. I am not a fan of westerns, so on paper - I would not have otherwise picked this series up.
I was worried when this series went onto hiatus. Not 100% certain, but I believe it was due to Snyder's DC run occupying all of his time. The worry was two fold: a) the series was cancelled and would never be completed b) if it was completed, it would be done in a very after-the-fact matter (think Winds of Winter). It would be inellegantly rushed, and completed for the sake of being completed.
But this was one of Snyder's 1st storties, and I was happy to see him give it the gravitas that a conclusion deserves.
"It was fundamentally about Pearl and Skinner - a look at American History through the lese of these two different vantage points: one character who is the best of us and one character who's the worst of us. One who wants to be part of something bigger than herself and espouses all of these great American principals and ideals, even if she does not realize it, and one who represents all of our darkest impulses o be big and selfish and greedy - to have your name in lights and make everything about you and create a reality around yourself." (Scott Snyder on the original pitch)
There is also a great deal of history in the series and its finale, both:
a) in how the story is overlain against american events, politics, and its ever changing zeitgeist
b) in how the pasts of our characters is still being peeled back - even in the final issue, to properly render out judgements on them
Snyder is definetly closing up shop in v1976. There is so much circling back to the elements of the earlier stories (expect a lot of "*SEE AMERICAN VAMPIRE - VOLUME XYZ"-editor blocks) There are no wasted plotlines here in this bombastic finale, Snyder is using it all to get us all back on the path he started back in 2010 (or 1880).
Hells bells indeed!
January 3, 2023
Like many other reviewers here, I had totally forgotten many of the characters and events that took place in the many years since the previous volume came out, and I really think that hurt my enjoyment of the book. I wouldn't say that's Snyder's fault though, and many will simply read it all in succession now that it's all out there.
I do have some vague problems with the story. It has some great character stuff, but I feel like Snyder just kind of does the same thing over and over, which becomes more and more formulaic each time I read his work. He tends to follow very strict structures you might see in blockbuster movies...there always has to be the big epic showdown, always the villain ranting on and on and on in the final chapter or two (seriously, I couldn't take this anymore in his Batman run.) The big explosions, etc. But Snyder's best work is the character stuff and he doesn't need all that other whiz and bang to get your attention.
The art feels like a step down compared to previous volumes. Not to be cheesy but it feels like its lost its bite. The previous books had a kind of wild, scary feel to the art but this one feels pretty restrained.
Pearl is a great protagonist throughout this series but it seems like she has little to do here, and I wouldn't have recognized her if they didn't say her name.
I enjoyed all of American Vampire, but I didn't truly love it, and since I'm in need of shelf space, now that I've bought and read this, I may be selling all the books soon. That sounds harsher than intended, I really do like the series. I just don't know if it's one I'll ever revisit.
I do have some vague problems with the story. It has some great character stuff, but I feel like Snyder just kind of does the same thing over and over, which becomes more and more formulaic each time I read his work. He tends to follow very strict structures you might see in blockbuster movies...there always has to be the big epic showdown, always the villain ranting on and on and on in the final chapter or two (seriously, I couldn't take this anymore in his Batman run.) The big explosions, etc. But Snyder's best work is the character stuff and he doesn't need all that other whiz and bang to get your attention.
The art feels like a step down compared to previous volumes. Not to be cheesy but it feels like its lost its bite. The previous books had a kind of wild, scary feel to the art but this one feels pretty restrained.
Pearl is a great protagonist throughout this series but it seems like she has little to do here, and I wouldn't have recognized her if they didn't say her name.
I enjoyed all of American Vampire, but I didn't truly love it, and since I'm in need of shelf space, now that I've bought and read this, I may be selling all the books soon. That sounds harsher than intended, I really do like the series. I just don't know if it's one I'll ever revisit.
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